Danish Royal Family, Current Events 3: April 2010 - June 2012

[dazzling]

Welcome to
The Danish Royal Family Current Events: Part 6
The previous can be found here

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[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #17, 2010.
Tak for kampen, Per – Thanks for the match, Per.
Written by Ulrik Ulriksen.

Mary and Frederik and other guests were present at a farewell reception at Amalienborg in honour of the chief of court for the CP couple, Per Thornit.
Per Thornit has been employed at the court for 25 years. He has been a very important person for not only Frederik and Joachim, to an extent that he has been described as an additional father figure for them, but also to Mary, whom he basically trained to become the Crown Princess during her first years. (*) Presumably he has had some influence on Marie as well. He has very much served as a confidante, counsellor, advisor and sparring partner for both Joachim, but Frederik and Mary in particular. And he and Mary have indeed developed a close relationship.
Mary and Frederik were present at the reception and so was Joachim, la Marie and Bette Henrik, who have an apartment in the mansion where the reception took place, so they just had to go down a couple of stairs.
Per Thornit has said about his relationship with Frederik and Joachim: “The Princes wanted you to say things as they were. So I have basically had the same discussions with them as I have had with my own sons. The deal is that I speak frankly. Otherwise you might just as well hire a doorknob. And that doesn’t work”.
About Frederik meeting Mary he said: “None of us knew that that trip (to Sydney) would be of such a significance”.
Frederik gave a speech and he said from the start that this wouldn’t be a sob-speech, but he was nevertheless visibly moved. He told about the experiences he and Per Thornit had together, about the strong bonds between them, how they have had very different opinions and quarrelled.
Per Thornit will retire at the end of April. The successor has not been named. (**)

(*) It appears that her training and experience is now so far advanced that Queen Margrethe has taken Mary very much under her wings in regards to the more final training. I.e. state visits, official business, which majesties have to undertake and so on.
I personally believe that Per Thornit now feels he can safely step back. Mary and Frederik can fly on their own now.

(**) My guesses are:
A) The current cabinet secretary for QMII.
B) Christian Eugen Olsen, Master of Ceremonies.
C) A high-ranking civil servant.
D) One from the military.

[iceflower]

Today's posts about the family attending the concert at the
Tivoli concert hall have been moved to the following thread as
the concert still belongs to the festivities for Queen Margrethe's
70th birthday!

** Queen Margrethe's 70th Birthday Celebrations; March-May 2010 **

[Muhler]

Frederik and Joachim visited the military training grounds at Oksbøl on Wednesday the 23 June.

Article: Royalt besøg

HQ pics: Royalt besøg - Hærens Operative Kommando - Army Operational Command - Denmark

Frederik and Joachim visited the military training grounds at Oksbøl, where the battallion that will go to Afghanistan in August, has by now just completed the final training.
It was actually mostly Frederik who was visiting. Joachim is a staff officer of the reserves in the Jutland Dragoon Regiment and he dealt with more or less what he would deal with anyway: staffwork and logistics.
Frederik on the other hand got a more varied tour. Field treatment of wounded, searching for mines and IED's, chatting with the soldiers, tactical fire support and ROV's.
At the end he went inside a Leopard main battle tank and took part in an attack. The tank would incidentally have come from Joachim's regiment.
He and Joachim also had a meal of fieldrations. New fieldrations are currently being tested, partly to better suit the climate in Afghanistan but also the palate of the soldiers, who have until now used British and American field rations.

Let's have a breakdown of the HighRes pics:

#1: Frederik is here studying the injuries of what appears to be to the results of a crude anti-personell mine, which has shredded the foot and legs of the soldier.
There are mineplates inside some combat boots, but usually the mines are so powerful they offer no protection at all, and as such the plates protect against against stepping on pointed objects, like a safety-shoe.
In contrast to regular mines, the improvised mines in Afghanistan are more crude in the sense that that take off a leg or two and that's it. Some regular footmines are designed to direct a fairly limited charge upwards, with the preferred result achieved when the victim step on the mine with the front half of his foot. The foot is shattered and as you tend to lean forward in the motion, a shower of fragments, bones and pieces of the boot fly upwards hitting the victim in the face and groin. A frightningly large percentage of Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan became blind or had their genitals mutilated that way.

#2: Frederik being presented to a patrol kit. Notice the safety goggles. Frederik is wearing the insignia of the Guards Hussars.
Also notice that the soldiers have started to grow beards. Danish soldiers are encouraged to grow a beard as a beard is seen as sign of maturity in rural Afghanistan.

#3: A minesweeper. A very useful tool. Modern military anti-personel mines however consists of plastic or ceramics, making them very difficult if not impossible to detect with mine detectors. Instead you "sniff" for the explosives. Some mines are also encased in porpose build plastic fragments or flechettes, making them very difficult to see on normal X-ray machines. Fortunately Taliban don't seem to pocess many of such mines. - They are a plaque elsewhere in the world however.

#4: Joachim and Frederik having a field lunch, with a field Coca Cola? And Field paper plates?
Joachim is a major, Frederik a lieutenant colonel.

#5: Frederik and Joachim disembarking from a helicopter, an EH-101, with a full colonel behind them.

#6: Frederik being demonstrated tactical firesupport, in the shape a 60 mm mortar, in DK also known as a bette-morter. A very useful weapon, that can be transported and supplied by a squad.

#7: Frederik being presented to what looks like the new M10, assault rifle. Being introduced this year, based on the expriences of the current assault rifles M95 & M96. It's Canadian produced and not even the Canadian army has adopted it yet.
(You may remember a previous post where I explained why the Danish army often get the very latest weapons and equipment ahead of much larger armies. - In short: it's basically field testing on behalf of larger countries and not least the manufactures).

[dazzling]

24-06-2010 Oksboel Crown Prince Frederik & Prince Joachim visiting the soldiers in Oksboel
PPE Gallery

[iceflower]

Queen Margrethe, Prince Henrik, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie
visit Tønder today, July 27, 2010. Several events including a lunch
are planned.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 **

Article with more pics:

** jv.dk: Den kongelige familie kindkyssede i Tønder **

[Muhler]

Thank you, Iceflower

As the event started at 10.00 it must still be going on right now.

Tønder municipality is the largest in DK in respect to area and it includes Schackenborg Manor, as such it's very natural that Princess Marie and her cheri Joachim attends.
Interestingly all the three public service TV channels in Germany also attend. But then Tønder is located next to the border with Germany and there is a ethnic German minority living there.
Between 1864-1920 Tønder, along with what is currently Southern Jutland, belonged to Germany.
- And we should never discount the fact that a pretty young Princess always look good on TV...

It will be interesting to see what will happen during the day.
Also, keep an eye on the regional news on TV2 SYD.

I wonder what Prince Henrik and petite Marie are doing in pic #3. Some sort of French ritual perhaps?

Originally Posted by iceflower

Queen Margrethe, Prince Henrik, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie
visit Tønder today, July 27, 2010. Several events including a lunch
are planned.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 **

Article with more pics:

** jv.dk: Den kongelige familie kindkyssede i Tønder **

[dazzling]

What is on the agenda during the visit? Started very early.
Isn't Marie patron of Tonder festival? Is this part of it or just taking place in the area if it is the same area?
Thank you for the pictures, seems like a while since last sew Marie with the Queen, she also looks quite relaxed with Prince Henrik.

[iceflower]

The Tønder-festival does take place there, but not yet, it'll take
place from August 26 till August 29, 2010


Muhler, I've also noticed the German interest in that visit, there are
articles on the internet and reports on television, which would
normally be unusal, but you've already mentioned the reasons!


Here's a ppe gallery!

[Muhler]

It actually started at the usual time a visit begins, when the Regent Couple tour Denmark with Dannebrog. - Except that they this time arrived by car, which they sometimes do, also while still being in residence at Dannebrog.
So I guess it will follow the usual routine:
Welcoming by the local dignitaries.
Seeing some of the local commerce and industry.
Visiting a school, retirement home or something similar.
Seeing something cultural.
A dinner or a reception to finish the day.
- This time with Joachim and the Marie tagging along.

Incidentally. As the Queen is always right on time, the programme started at 10.00 sharp, - no matter what your watch tell you.
I believe it was Master of Ceremonies, Christian Eugen Olsen, who explained that with his wry humour.

Originally Posted by dazzling

What is on the agenda during the visit? Started very early.
Isn't Marie patron of Tonder festival? Is this part of it or just taking place in the area if it is the same area?
Thank you for the pictures, seems like a while since last sew Marie with the Queen, she also looks quite relaxed with Prince Henrik.

[iceflower]

Originally Posted by dazzling

What is on the agenda during the visit?

This German article includes the programme:

** Royale Sommervisite mit Prinzenpaar **

Reception at the townhall, visit at a museum, a walk through a garden with
sculptures, the lunch at the Hotel Tønderhus. After the lunch Queen Margrethe
visited the Okholm Lighting company and a leisure park, while Prince Henrik
visited two other companies. In the end they'll be together again at the
marketplace.

Here are two more nice galleries:

** Königin zu Besuch in Tondern 2010 **

[Muhler]

Thank you, Iceflower.

The paper Der Nordschleswiger is the paper for the German minority in Denmark.
- And I see that Marie is very well featured...

There is a similar paper for the Danish minority in Northern Germany, can't remember the name off hand.

Originally Posted by iceflower

This German article includes the programme:

** Royale Sommervisite mit Prinzenpaar **


Here are two more nice galleries:

** Königin zu Besuch in Tondern 2010 **

[dazzling]

Originally Posted by iceflower

This German article includes the programme:

** Royale Sommervisite mit Prinzenpaar **

Reception at the townhall, visit at a museum, a walk through a garden with
sculptures, the lunch at the Hotel Tønderhus. After the lunch Queen Margrethe
visited the Okholm Lighting company and a leisure park, while Prince Henrik
visited two other companies. In the end they'll be together again at the
marketplace.

Here are two more nice galleries:

** Königin zu Besuch in Tondern 2010 **

Thanks iceflower, seems they try to get as much done at once.
What did Joachim & Marie do? Maybe accompanied the Queen or Prince Henrik?

[Currier]

Have I missed the Royal Family's attendance at Princess Nathalie's wedding?

[iceflower]

Originally Posted by Muhler

There is a similar paper for the Danish minority in Northern Germany, can't remember the name off hand.

You are most welcome Could it be Flensborg Avis? That's the
only one I know, it's a daily newspaper in the German city Flensburg,
published in Danish and German. They actually also have an article
about today's visit: * Royalt kryds på landkortet *

Originally Posted by dazzling

Thanks iceflower, seems they try to get as much done at once.
What did Joachim & Marie do? Maybe accompanied the Queen or Prince Henrik?

As far as I've understood it, Marie and Joachim only attended till the
lunch, the rest of the programme was only attended by the Queen
and Prince Henrik.

Originally Posted by Currier

Have I missed the Royal Family's attendance at Princess Nathalie's wedding?

Currier, you didn't miss anything! It's been a private wedding with only
the closest family members and friends, the church wedding will take
place next year and will surely be attended by more members of the
Danish royal family. You can find more information at the following extra
thread

** Civil Wedding of Princess Nathalie zu S-W-B and Alexander Johannsmann - May 2010 **

[iceflower]

Here are some additional links and pictures from yesterday:


An article with pictures from Billed-Bladet:

** Festdag i Tønder, da de kongelige ankom **

An article with pictures and a video from tvsyd.dk:

** Fire kongelige på Tønders røde løber **

A gallery from ppe of Henrik visiting Hoejers Poelser - a sausages factory:

** ppe gallery **

An article with a picture gallery from jv.dk of the afternoon event:

** Flere tusinde hilste på dronningen: Aktive pensionister besøgte Tønder **

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #30, 2010.
På job med svigermor - On the job with mother-in-law.
Written by Anna Johannesen.

Princess Marie and her Joachim accompanied the Regent Couple during the forenoon in Tønder.
Schackenborg is located in Tønder municipality and appropriatly the Marie and Joachim arrived a few minuttes before the Regent Couple.
And they greeted eachother with kisses on the cheek and curtsying, except for Henrik who gave our Marie a fingerkiss. (*)
All four of them went through the schedule of the forenoon together. Margrethe and Marie were observed chatting several times and as it the Monarch who decide how fast things go, she put the long leg in front and ended up at Hotel Tønderhus twenty minuttes before time, thus giving the royals some time alone before it was time for lunch. (**)
After lunch Marie and cheri Joachim left for Schackenborg and Bette Henrik.
Tønder is incidentally where J&M do their day to day shopping, when at Schakenborg.
After lunch the visit continued and it was pretty profittable. The Regent Couple were presented with a fruit dish in cherry-wood. Henrik got a pair of Ecco shoes and QMII got a birthday present in the shape of a broche, shaped as a marquerite in 14 carats white gold.

(*) One might get the idea that Prince Henrik abstained from kissing petite Marie on the cheek for fear of squashing her, due to his increased - volume. Perish the thought.

(**) And for some of the other guests to catch their breath.

[Muhler]

The first comments from Mary in Politiken: http://politiken.dk/indland/article1032931.ece

When boarding the barge in order to sail out to Dannebrog she faced questions from the press and she replied: "Yes, it's very exciting" and "It was a really huge surprise".

She added that the pregnancy had not been planned.

I guess this was also filmed, so it may surface online somewhere soon.

And we have the first gallery of Mary ready to board Dannebrog, with Bella and Christian: Mary viser maven frem | www.bt.dk

And the first comment from Christian: When asked about what was inside his mother's belly, he replied: "Babies".

Prins Christian: Der er babyer i mors mave - Danmark - BT.dk

And a couple of more quotes from Mary: "I'm fine". "I'm unusually/very tired sometimes".

She will continue with her duties for as long as possible.

[Katelle]

Thanks for the pics. What a good looking family! They are ridiculously beautiful.
The Queen looks ecstatic. And Mary, oh, always svelte even at 5th or 4th month of pregnancy with twins. Hats off!

[mille]

..and isabella held 2 fingers up, ha ha she is so cute